What the area lacks is “a one-stop shop for ecotourism,” says Paula Biltmore, co-founder of a newly formed nonprofit.

Gulf Coast Environmental Conservation & Exploration, of which Biltmore is president and Kathleen Lehner is vice president, wants to create an “eco-cafe.”

“Our plan is to market Venice as an ecotourism hub,” Biltmore said.

While sipping tea or other beverages, cafe patrons could get information in “a relaxed social environment” — similar to a Starbucks — about what they can do as visitors to enjoy and appreciate the outdoors in and around Venice, Biltmore said.

The cafe could feature interactive kiosks and videos, have charging stations for electric vehicles, perhaps rent bicycles and kayaks and be the starting and end points for guided eco-tours.

Biltmore and Lehner recently got the blessing of the Venice City Council and several of its advisory boards to explore possible locations on city-owned land.

“We're looking for a public-private partnership,” Biltmore said.

Creating the cafe on private land is unlikely to achieve the desired goal, Biltmore said. GCECE would prefer to be at a public beach or park.

“We want to be where the tourists are,” Biltmore said.

The two intend to research possible city-owned locations and report back to the City Council with a suggested site in April.

“We're doing all the legwork,” Biltmore told the council, promising not to burden city staff.

The nonprofit already has $500,000 pledged from an anonymous donor to launch the cafe, if it can raise matching contributions, Biltmore said.

If the Venice cafe proves to be successful, GCECE will look at creating more in other communities along Florida's lower Gulf Coast.

Mayor John Holic believes the concept could boost the local economy. “I'm very happy to see it.”

Council member Bob Daniels said he is “very supportive” as well. He cautioned, however, that he would oppose spending any city tax dollars on the venture.

Daniels suggested GCECE approach the county's Tourist Development Council to see if it would be willing to devote county taxes from hotel and motel room stays to the project.

Council member Jim Bennett said that, if the cafe becomes “wildly successful,” he does not want it to attract so many visitors that they “overrun the ecology.”

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